Block-signal system.



Patented May 20, I902;

' L. RIEBE.

BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

3 Sheets-Sheet I,

(Application filed. July 24, 1901.

(No Model.)

IN vavroa J0zzz$fz5e ATTORNEYS WITNESSES m: mums PETERS yumfoflwu.wAsnmgwu. u. c.

0- Patnted May 20, I902. L. RIIEB'E. BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

7 I (Application filed July 94, 1901.) .(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' lay- Patented May ZO I902; v.

"0 00,2 10. L. RIEBE.

BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

(Application filed July 24, 1901.

3 Sheets-Shae! 3.

(No M odel.)

/N VE N TOR ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES {PATENT CFFICE.

LOUIS RIEBE, OF LANSFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEM. H

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,240, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed July 24, 1901. Serial No. 69 519; (No model.)

ject is to provide a simple mechanism for this purpose in which a car inleaving a switch or turnout will close the circuit to said signals ateach end of the block, thus indicating to the motorman of a followingcar or of an approaching car that a car is running on a main trackbetween the switches, and, further, so constructing the parts that thecar upon leaving the maimtrack or opposite end of the block willcausethe signals 'tobe reset to safety. I

I will describea block-signal system embodying my invention, and thenpoint out the hovel featuresin'the appended claims.

Figure lisa plan View of the railway-track, showing a block-signalsystem embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is asection on the line 22 of Fig.1, showing one of the signals with the casing in section. Fig. 3 is asection on the line 3 30f Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44ofFig. 2, and F1 g. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the system.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the main track, 6 indicatingaswitch or "turnout atone end of the block, and 7 a switcher turnout atthe opposite end of the block. Arranged at the turnout 6 is a signal8,1'while a signal 9 is arranged at the turnout 7, these signals orthe*mechanism for operating the same being alike, and a description ofone will answer'forboth.

'Referring'to Fig. 2, I have shown the signal as consisting of ,asemaphore 10, having one end extending into a casing 11,"mounted on astandard 12, and the inner end of this semaphore is pivoted to astandard 13 in the casing. The endof the signal inwardly of itspivot-point is provided with a roller 14,

with a n0tch'17, into which the roller 14 en- 5 5 gages when thesemaphore is in its lowermost or safetyposition. Onewall of this notch,it will be noticed, is cam-shaped or inclined, so

as the wheel rotates the roller14 may ride upon said incline toengagewith the periph- 6o cry of the wheel.

The wheel 15 is provided on its opposite sides with circular rows ofratchet-teeth 18 and 19, the teeth being extended in oppositedirections. The ratchet teeth 18 are designed to be engaged by theratchet-teeth upon a propelling-wheel 20, mounted to rotate on the saidshaft 16, and also having a movement longitudinally of said shaft. Theratchetteeth 19 are designed to be engaged by the ratchet-teeth ona'wheel 21, which is also mounted to rotate on the shaft and to havelongitudinal movement thereon, I

Onthe hub portion 22 of the wheel 20 is a pin 28, passing into acam-slot 23, which com- I municates with a slot 24, extending in thecircumferential direction of said wheel 20, and on the hub 25 of thewheel 21 is a pin 26, passing into a cam-slot similar to the slot '2324.

These slots are formed in the s'upporting-pilso lars 27. v

From an arm 31 on the hub 22 a draw-rod .32 extends upward toa pivotalconnection with a cross-head 33, connecting the cores 34 of a solenoid35. From the hub 25 an arm 37 8'5 1 extends, anda draw-rod 38 isconnected atits lenoid, while the solenoid:41 is the fflsafetysolenoid-that is, it,operates to return the T signal to safety position.N

Arranged at the junction of the turnouts with the main track arecircuit-closing 'devices, both for closing the circuit to turn thesignal to danger'and for closing the circuit, 'rco to cause the signalto return to safety.

The dangercircuit-closing device consists f V I T116801 f lenoid 35,which operates the arm 31, will be termed the signal-setting or"da-ngersoof a slide-bar 49, arranged transversely of the track and having aspring-finger 43, adapted to engage with a fixed contact 44. The bar 42is connected by means of a post 45 with a rod 46, mounted at one end toslide in a post 47 and engaging at the other end with a movable section48 of one of the main-line rails. It will be here stated that at thispoint the section 48 of the rail will be closer to the opposite railthan the distance between the fixed portions of opposite rails, so thata car passing along the main track and entering the block will move saidmovable section 48 over against the adjacent track-rail and during thismovement close the circuit between the points 43 and 44. After thusclosing the circuit and passing the circuit-closure a spring 49,arranged between the upright 47 and a collar on the rod 46, will movethe bar 42 in a direction to open the circuit.

As a means for closing the circuit to set the signal to safety I employa circuitclosure at each switch, consisting of a bar 50, carrying thespring-yielding contact 51,adapted to engage with a fixed contact 52,and this bar 50 is connected by means of a post 53 with a rod 54,mounted to slide through a post 55 and connecting at its opposite endwith a yielding section 56, arranged adjacent to one of the track-rails.In the closing of this switch a car in passing will engage the flangesof its wheels at one side against the inner surface of the movable part56, which will cause the bar 50 to be moved to close the circuit.

From the contact 43 at the signal 8 a wire 57 leads through the solenoid35. From the other end of the solenoid a wire 58 extends to and connectswith one pole of a battery 59, from the other pole of which a wire 60leads to one end of the solenoid of signal 9,and from the other end ofthis solenoid a wire 61 leads back to the contact 44, which coacts withthe contact 43. From the contact 51 a wire 62 leads to one end of thesolenoid at signal 8, and from the other end of this solenoid a wire 63leads to the battery 59, from which a wire 64 leads to one end of thesolenoid-winding 41 at signal 9, and from the other end of said windinga wire 65 leads back to the contact 52, coacting with the contact 51.From 'the contact 43 at the signal 9 a wire 66 leads to and connectswith the wire 57, and thence passes through the solenoid 35 at signal 8,the wire 58, the battery 59, through the Wire 60, the solenoid 35, andthence through the wire 61 and the wire 68 to the contact 44. From thecontact 51 at signal 9 a wire 69 leads to and connects with the solenoid41 at signal 8, and the current passes thence through the wire 63 andbattery 59 and wire 64 and solenoid 41 at signal 9, a portion of thewire 65, and through the wire 70 to the contact 52, coacting with thecontact 51.

In operation, assuming a car to be run on the main track and passing thesignal 8, the car will close the circuit through the contacts 43 and 44,which will energize the solenoids 35 at each end of the block, and thesesolenoids by drawingupward the cores will cause a rotary movement of thewheel 20, while the pin 28 will cause the said wheel to move toward andengage the ratchet-teeth 18, so that by a continued rotary movement ofsaid wheel 20 the wheel 15 will be rotated, causing the semaphore toswing upward, as heretofore described. As the car passes out of theblock at signal 9 the flanges of one of its wheels by engaging themovable rail-section or device 56 will close the circuit through thecontacts 51 and 52 at both ends of the block, and thus the solenoids 41at the ends of the block will energize, causing the teeth of the wheel21 to engage with the ratchet 19 of the wheel 15, so that said Wheel 15will be reversed and returned to normal position, permitting the roller14 to move into notch 17, thus permitting the semaphore to drop tosafety by gravity. Obviously as the solenoids are deenergized the coreswill drop by gravity, causing the movable ratchet-toothed wheel toreturn to normal position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a signal system, a signal-controlling wheel,another wheel having a movement into and out of operative connectionwith the firstnamed wheel, an electric device for causing the movementsof said second-named wheel, an electric circuit in which the electricdevice is arranged, and a circuit-closer therefor, substantially asspecfied.

2. In a block-signal system, a semaphore, a wheel with which thesemaphore connects, ratchet-teeth on said wheel, a ratchet-wheel mountedto rotate on the shaft of the firstnamed wheel and to movelongitudinally of said shaft, an electric device for causing themovements of said ratchet-wheel to engage the teeth of the first-namedwheel,- an electric circuit in which said electric deviceis ar-' ranged,and a circuit-closer therefor, substantially as specified.

3. In a block-signal device, a semaphore, a wheel for operating saidsemaphore, the said wheel being provided with a notch in its periphery,ratchet-teeth on opposite sides of said wheel, a shaft on which thewheel is mounted, ratchet-wheels mounted to rotate on said shaft andalso having a longitudinal movement thereof, the said ratchet-wheelsbeing at opposite sides of the first-named wheel, and adapted to engagewith, the ratchet-teeth thereof, solenoids, cores for said solenoids,connections between said cores and the ratchet-wheels, and electriccircuits in which the solenoids are arranged, and circuit-closersoperated by a car for closing the circuits, substantially as specified.

4. In an electrically-controlled block-signal system, signal devices atthe ends of the block, and electric motors for causing movement of saidsignal in one direction, an elec tric circuit in which said motors arear= ico ranged, and circuit-closers at each end of the In testimonywhereof I have signed my block, each circuit-closer consisting of apart; name to this specification in the presence of adapted to beengaged by a flange of'a cartwo subscribing witnesses.

wheel, a contact movable with said part, and

a fixed contact. with which the first-named Witnesses:

contact is designed to engage, substantially JOHNLGLUCK, 4 as specified.'NATHAN TANNER.

LOUIS RIEBE.

